Raymond "La La" Lalonde

Raymond "La La" Lalonde
Raymond "La La" Lalonde
Louisiana State Representative, District 39
In office 1980–1996
Preceded by	Walter Champagne
Succeeded by	Clara Baudoin
Personal details
Born	(1940-10-22) October 22, 1940 (age 77) Arnaudville, Louisiana
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Evelyn Cathey Lalonde
Alma mater	University of Texas at Arlington Louisiana State University

Raymond "La La" Lalonde (born October 22, 1940) is a former Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Carencro in Lafayette Parish. He formerly resided in the town of Sunset in St. Landry Parish. He served in the Louisiana House from 1980 to 1996.

In 2000, Lalonde then ran for Lafayette City-Parish Council. After that defeat, he switched affiliation to the Republican Party. He was defeated again in the November 17, 2007, general election for his former legislative seat by the Democrat Bobby G. Badon, a small businessman and a former member of the Carencro City Council. Badon polled 3,914 (52 percent) to Lalonde's 3,662 (48 percent) in a low-turnout general election. Badon said that crossover Republican voters helped to secure his Democratic victory and that he is committed to ending corrupt practices in Louisiana state government: "I have not sold my vote to any special interest group. When I get to Baton Rouge, I don't owe anyone any favors," he told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. Incumbent Clara Baudoin was term-limited and hence ineligible to seek a fourth term. In the October 20 jungle primary Lalonde had led Badon, 4,352 (30 percent) to 4,028 (27 percent). Two other primary candidates, both Democrats, held a combined and critical 43 percent of the vote.

Lalonde was born and reared on a farm in a rural area near Arnaudville. Following his graduation from Leonville High School, Lalonde served four years in the United States Air Force as a technician on The B-52's and KC-135s. Lalonde received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in mathematics, minor in physics, and a second equivalent degree in foreign language. He also holds a master of science in industrial technology from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.